SoilMe

SoilMe: Connecting Soil Culture and Community

Location of activities and scope

Sofia, Bulgaria

Bulgaria – Festival animation

 

Executive Summary

SoilMe is a cultural and participatory initiative that connects art, science, and community engagement to raise awareness about soil as a vital resource for life. The project will culminate in a public festival in Sofia featuring an exhibition, workshops, lectures, documentary screenings, and interactive experiences such as a Soil Bar, alongside a national teaser campaign and a crowdsourced digital soil map. By translating scientific knowledge into creative and accessible formats, SoilMe aims to increase soil literacy, engage diverse audiences, and foster collaboration between artists, scientists, and local communities. The project contributes to the objectives of the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” by encouraging greater public understanding, dialogue, and long-term commitment to soil protection and sustainable practices.

 

Motivation Statement

Soil is one of the most essential yet least visible resources on our planet. Although it sustains more than 95% of global food production and supports biodiversity, water filtration, and climate regulation, it is often overlooked in everyday life. SoilMe is motivated by the need to reconnect people with soil by transforming it from an invisible environmental issue into a tangible cultural and social experience. Through artistic, participatory, and community-based activities, the project seeks to foster awareness, empathy, and collective responsibility for protecting and restoring soil for future generations.

Sub-project objectives

The SoilMe project aims to raise public awareness of soil as a vital ecological and cultural resource by connecting artistic, scientific, and community-based practices. Through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, screenings and participatory activities, it seeks to increase soil literacy and engage diverse audiences in creative and sensory experiences related to soil. The project also aims to strengthen collaboration between artists, scientists, and local communities while creating transferable knowledge and formats that can be replicated in other contexts.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One of the main challenges is that soil is often perceived as an abstract or distant topic, which can make it difficult to engage audiences who have little prior interest in environmental issues. This will be addressed through creative, multisensory, and participatory formats such as exhibitions, workshops, and the Soil Bar—that translate scientific knowledge into accessible and engaging experiences.

Another challenge is ensuring effective collaboration between artistic, scientific, and community partners. This will be addressed through structured coordination, specific program formats, regular communication between partners, and the active involvement of soil scientists who will support the development of artistic content and ensure scientific accuracy and long lasting relevance.

Expected outcomes

The project is expected to increase public awareness and understanding of soil as a vital ecological resource by engaging diverse audiences through artistic and participatory formats. It will produce tangible outputs including a public exhibition, workshops, lectures, documentary screenings, a crowdsourced digital soil map, and communication materials. In the long term, the project will strengthen collaboration between artists, scientists, and communities while creating transferable knowledge and tools that can inspire similar initiatives and contribute to broader soil literacy and sustainable practices.

Meet the Project Team

Studio Komplekt Ltd

Artistic/creative industry.

Contact – Adriana Andreeva Dimitrova

Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn.

 

Studio Komplekt Ltd

Digital Spaces Living Lab

Living Lab

Contact – Dr. Stavri Nikolov

Digital Spaces Living Lab

Forest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Research Institute.

Contact – Prof. Dr. Miglena Zhiyanski